Compiled by C. ARUNO, FATIMAH ZAINAL and R. ARAVINTHAN

       MORE than 200 young men and women volunteered to take part in the Uthavum Karangal programme to help disabled devotees complete their prayers at Batu Caves, Makkal Osai reported.

       The effort was organised by the Tamilan Uthavum Karangal, which has been doing the work every year for many years.

       This year more than 100 wheelchair-using devotees were helped up the 272 steps.

       One of those helped was a local artist, MGR Kumar, whose singing while being carried, entertained volunteers and others.

       Each devotee was carried in their wheelchair by four volunteers to the Murugan temple at the top of the cave so they could complete their prayers and take part in the ceremonies.

       >The Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) gave out RM376,250 in education assistance in 2023, Makkal Osai reported its vice-chairman as saying.

       StarPicks

       Maximise your EPF savings with voluntary contributions

       Senator Dr Lingheshwaran R. Arunasalam made the announcement after handing out financial aid to 17 students at the board’s offices in Penang.

       The funds last year went to 318 students selected from applications received by the PHEB.

       Those applying for the assistance must be voters registered in Penang or they must be Penang-born with parents registered as voters in Penang, he said.

       The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.